Winter/Christmas Activities available in the Cotswolds 2022
There aren’t many regions in the UK that can beat the beautiful winter scenery and marvellous Christmas atmosphere of the Cotswolds. There are plenty of activities available for your enjoyment, whether it’s something for the daytime or an evening activity, the Cotswolds will have it for you ready to savour. Read on to find out specific information relating to these wonderful winter/Christmas activities available in the Cotswolds this year.
Christmas Daytime Activities
Follow a sparkling Christmas light trail
Grab a hot chocolate or spiced apple and explore a magical illuminated light trails this Christmas. With sparkling light displays set to music, these trails through the Cotswolds’ gardens and outdoor spaces are more popular than ever, with six local trails to choose from this year.
• Walk through illuminated trees while you help Father Christmas’ elves decorate Westonbirt Arboretum for their Enchanted Christmas (25 November–21 December 2022)
• Enjoy the grand backdrops of Blenheim Palace for the Illuminated Light Trail (18 November 2022–2 January 2023)
• Sudeley Castle for the Spectacle of Light (25 November–30 December 2022)
• There’s the family-focused Enchanted Light Trail at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park (25 November–31 December 2022)
• The winter lantern festival is back for Christmas at Longleat (5 November 2022–8 January 2023)
• Finally, the Enchanted Garden of Light returns to Bath’s American Museum and Gardens (1–31 December 2022) for a second year
Warm up with a wintery walk
If you’re looking to work off the Christmas pudding with a winter walk, here are a few of our favourites. Leckhampton Hill just south of Cheltenham has spectacular views from the top, with a 3-mile loop across its rare limestone grassland. Or you can follow a 5.4-mile circular route from Bourton-on-the-Water along the Rivers Windrush and Eye to Upper and Lower Slaughter.
From Broadway there’s a 4-mile circular walk which climbs up to the fairy-tale Broadway Tower and through the deer park before descending back down to the village. You can also follow the start of the Cotswold Way from Chipping Campden for the 4.1-mile circular walk to the viewpoint at Dover’s Hill, where you can see as far as the Black Mountains in Wales on a clear day.
New Years Day racing at Cheltenham
The New Year’s Day race meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse is an annual ritual for racing fans, who shake off the New Year’s Eve cobwebs with a flutter and a pint or two in the Guinness Village. As well as a full day of racing action on the track there’s also extra entertainment on the day, including live music and face-painting and bouncy castles in the Family Fun Zone.
Christmas Light Switch On In The Cotswolds
Christmas Festivities begin in Dursley with a Victorian theme. The Christmas lights switch-on events includes:
• Santa’s Grotto
• Lights Switch-on at 6pm
• Entertainment from local choirs, musicians and a children’s dance group
• Stalls
• Winter garden
• Fairground rides
• Firework display and more…
• The whole event will be on the pedestrianised precinct of Parsonage Street.
Where: Parsonage Street, Dursley Town Centre
Date: Friday 25 November 2022
Time: 4.30 pm onwards
The Moreton-in-the-Marsh events involves:
• Christmas street market
• Carol singing
• Refreshments
• Lights switch on at 5pm
Where: High Street, Moreton-in-the Marsh
Date: Saturday 26 November 2022
Time :9am – 6pm (TBC)
Tetbury’s celebration
The Tetbury Community Christmas Lights Switch-On event has always been an occasion full of cheer and warmth.
This year there will also be a Christmas market and an evening of festive delights.
Where: Tetbury Market Place
Date: Friday 3 December 2021
Time: 5pm – 8pm
Tickets/Admission: FREE
Beautiful Christmas Markets In The Cotswolds
Christmas markets have become a festive tradition, with Christmas music and stalls draped with colourful lights selling artisan gifts and crafts, tree decorations, local food and drink – not to mention all the tasty treats like mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and spiced biscuits.
Bath
After a two-year absence, Bath Christmas market is back from 24 November–11 December 2022, with over 150 stall selling crafts and festive food and drink in the streets around the Abbey.
Cheltenham
Christmas market on the Promenade also returns from 8–24 December 2022.
Stroud
There are several food and craft markets in Stroud
Moreton-in-Marsh (26 November)
Tetbury (2 December)
Chipping Campden (3 December)
Winchcombe (6 December)
Chipping Norton (11 December).
Cirencester
Celebrations in Cirencester get started with the highlight of the season – the Advent Market which includes over 100 stalls, live music and carols, light switch on at 4pm, snow and silent fireworks. It takes place at the Market Place in Cirencester from 10am – 6pm on Saturday the 26th of November 2022.
Evening winter activities available within the Cotswolds
Spend a night at the panto
Dick Whittington
Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham (25 November 2022-8 January 2023)
Chipping Norton Theatre (16 November 2022-15 January 2023)
Snow White
Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury (26 November-31 December 2022)
Sleeping Beauty
The Stratford Playhouse (16-30 December 2022)
Cinderella
The Subscription Rooms in Stroud (22 December 2022-2 January 2023)
The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood
The Barn Theatre in Cirencester (21 November 2022-7 January 2023)
Christmas concert at Berkeley Castle
Celebrate Christmas in the Cotswolds with a concert at Berkeley Castle on 11 December 2022. The evening starts with mince pies and mulled wine by the fire in the Long Drawing Room, which is decorated with Christmas trees and glittering lights, then moves into the Great Hall where the Orchestra Pro Anima string group will play classical pieces from the last 200 years.
The Malvern Winter Glow
Located just outside the Cotswolds, Malvern Winter Glow at the Three Counties Showground is a five-in-one festive extravaganza worth travelling for. It takes place from 25 November 2022–2 January 2023, with the chance to meet Santa in the Winter Village, a light trail, ice rink, 120-foot observation wheel, fairground rides and a Christmas market with Bavarian-style bar.
If you want to explore these events with ease and comfort, enjoy a drink at the Christmas market or would simply prefer someone else to take the wheel, Cheltonian Cars are available throughout the Christmas period (excluding bank holidys). Please do give us a call on 01242 374767
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